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means that there must be an interference with the course
of hostilities. Each side is being deprived of supplies of
material of which it feels itself in urgent need.'*
MR. S. O. DAVIES : " Rubbish, absolute rubbish."
THE CHAIRMAN : " Order."
MR. DAVIES : " There is a limit,"
MR. MORGAN JONES : ** May I ask you. Sir Dennis, on a
point of Order, whether Members of this House are to be
precluded from expressing their disagreement with the
speakers in the ordinary way ? "*
THE CHAIRMAN : " In a case of this kind, where the Prime
Minister is making a very important speech, I think that it is
the general will of the House that, at any rate until he has
concluded his speech, there should be no interruptions that
would be likely to make it more difficult for the Committee
to follow his statement."
MR. ATTLEE : " I quite agree that everybody should be
given a free hearing in this House, and a fair hearing, but
I cannot agree with you. Sir Dennis, with all respect, that we
should make distinctions between one person and another.
[HON. MEMBERS : " Oh."] Yes, I suggest that we are all on
an equal footing in this House as Members., we all have the
right of free speech, and we all have occasionally to submit
to interjections, but I submit with great respect to you, that,
while, when an important speech is being made we should all
exercise the greatest restraint, this House should draw no
distinctions between its Members."
THE PRIME MINISTER : " May I say that I arn not making
any complaint ? It is not a personal matter. It is a very
grave subject, and I recognise that people hold very strong
views on this subject, and may find it very difficult to restrain
expression of those views. I am trying not to put the thing
in a provocative way. As far as I am personally concerned,
I am not making any sort of complaint. I was trying to put
the case to the Committee that the very fact that we are
trying.to maintain a policy of non-intervention, which is
exercised through a patrol by ships belonging to various
Powers stopping ships taking arms and ammunition into
Spain, involves an interference with the hostilities and, there-
fore, is bound to create -strong feelings of resentment among